BUILDING up to an extra 7,900 homes in one county is too many and could ruin the local culture.

That’s the view of councillors who are taking a historic stand to protect the Welsh language, culture and environment in Conwy.

A crunch meeting was held yesterday, after angry public protests against a blueprint that would see between 6,800 and 7,900 new homes built across the county in the next 15 years.

Residents fear the extra homes, including nearly 900 planned for Abergele, would mean in influx of incomers from around the UK, which could dilute culture.

Now councillors have resolved to write a formal letter to the Welsh Government saying they don’t want to build so many new homes.

They’re demanding an urgent review of the number of homes actually needed. They think it should be re-calculated and they’re asking for AMs’ support to lobby for this.

Councillors claim the current projections were based on a report compiled during a housing boom 10 years ago, which is no longer relevant.

They want Cardiff to consider the impact any new builds would have on the loss of green spaces, on the Welsh language and culture.

They also want AMs to consider the impact an extra 2,000 homes set to be built over the border from Abergele in Bodelwyddan, Denbighshire, will have on services.

Also in Conwy’s draft 15-year-plan, called the Local Development Plan (LDP), are a number of greenfield site such as Bodafon fields in Llandudno.

There, 64 new homes must be built if Conwy is to hit the current building target set by the Welsh Government. Among a crowd of protesters outside yesterday’s meeting at Bodlondeb was campaigner Francis Davies, 56, of Craig-y-Don.

He said: “Bodafon is a green belt site. They need to look at somewhere else. It is not good for Llandudno, it is over populated. The roads can’t cope with it.”

The strongly worded letter to the Welsh Government says the Conwy and Denbighshire LDPs: “could have a detrimental impact on our environment, infrastructure, and community cohesion, as well as other services such as health, education and policing.”

It goes on: “Conwy County Council seeks the support of all AMs to lobby the Welsh Government to instigate the requested review of the Population and Household Projections and review Welsh Government guidance that encourages large scale developments in the County Borough and throughout Wales.”

Speaking after the resolution to send the letter was passed following a two-hour debate and vote, at Bodlondeb yesterday, Rhos-on-Sea councillor Phil Edwards labelled Denbighshire’s decision to give the 2,000 homes the green light “shameful”.

“This could overwhelm language and culture,” he said. “If the areas are hugely developed the language and development will be swamped.

“The likelihood is it would attract people to buy the houses who are not from this area. If we don’t stand up for our language and culture in a very short space of time we could lose all of that. It is important we get it right.”

The council also will tell the Assembly they are being given “contradictory” advice from Welsh Government ministers and officers.

Conwy say while Welsh Government ministers claim the number of homes being built is down to local authorities, they are meanwhile being heavily dictated to by Cardiff.

Llandudno councillor Margaret Lyon said Conwy should be allowed to decide how may homes it needed itself.

“We are all here because we love the place we live in,” she said.

“I think the issue is the Assembly are telling us what to build and where. It is very high and mighty of them. I’ve great misgivings about being told what to do by people in Cardiff.”

Clwyd-West AM Darren Millar said: “The local infrastructure can’t take it. The number of beds at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd is being reduced. The schools are being reduced and the highways infrastructure is at breaking point. There are already drainage problems.”

He added: “Most of the children at Bodelwyddan will go to school at Abergele. Most of these people will register with GPs in Abergele. You can’t bring 3,000 people in and expect services to be able to cope.”

But Cllr Goronwy Edwards, who is an executive member at Conwy and has been instrumental in putting the LDP together, was heckled during the meeting.

He said: “I still say the process is robust. It is easy for people to make objections, but there are an awful lot of young people who don’t have homes and we need to provide that.

“I’m concerned the quiet majority have stayed away because they accept the plan. The opposition comes from a comfortable minority.”